The Telegraph.

Podcasts.

I'm Frances Dernley and this is Ukraine, the latest.

Today it's a bank holiday in the United Kingdom, so we're away from Telegraph towers.

But before we resume our usual updates tomorrow, last week I recorded an exclusive face-to-face

interview with retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, former commanding general United

States Army Europe.

He was as Ting London for a major defense conference.

One of the world's leading military commentators on the war in Ukraine, we discussed why he's

so optimistic, Crimea can be retaken by Ukrainian forces.

How the West can win the logistical war, and the short and long-term foreign policy mistakes

that made the conflict possible, and what needs to be done now to ensure Russia is defeated.

This is our conversation.

Travering takes you through the most unimaginable hardships to finally reward you with victory.

This hideous and barbaric venture of Vladimir Putin must end in favor.

We need a military strategy for Ukraine to gain a decisive advantage on the battlefield to win the war.

Nobody is going to break us. We're strong. We're Ukrainians.

Thank you for your time today and for joining us at Telegraph towers.

Many listeners will be familiar with your background and insights on the war, including for us.

But for those who aren't, perhaps you can start by providing a brief overview of your career.

Thank you. Lieutenant General Retired Ben Hodges served 38 years in the U.S. Army.

My last two jobs in the Army were as NATO Allied Lang Command in Izmir, Turkey, from 2012 to 2014,

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